Najib seeks DNAA for three other SRC-linked charges
KUALA LUMPUR: The lawyer for Datuk Seri Najib Razak today applied to the High Court to grant the former prime minister a discharge not amounting to acquittal (DNAA) in connection to three other money laundering charges involving SRC International Sdn Bhd funds amounting to RM27 million.
Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah made the application before High Court judge K. Muniandy after deputy public prosecutor Mohd Ashrof Adrin Kamarul sought a one-month extension to decide on Najib's July 31, 2023, representation to the Attorney-General's Chambers (A-GC) seeking to drop the charges.
Shafee said the former 72-year-old Pekan member of parliament's representation has not changed in terms of facts and they have yet to receive any reply from the A-GC since 2023.
"May I ask formally, Yang Arif, because I think it would probably assist the A-GC to decide one way or the other.
"If Yang Arif were to grant a DNAA on this matter, because it has been two years and it is sitting in Yang Arif's docket for too long.
"I think this is the best way to deal with the matter (DNAA). It takes pressure from everyone, and a decision can be made at their own comfort.
"We are only asking for a DNAA because if they want to reignite the case, they can always do that and there is no pressure on them to decide," he said.
Shafee said it does not augur well for Najib's case to be in the docket of a criminal court for too long.
Najib was not present in court today as his presence was exempted.
However, Ashrof said he had no further instructions on Shafee's DNAA application and left it to the court to decide.
"The intention is to provide a decision in a month. We are positively considering the representation.
"We are considering a lot of factors, such as the accused has several cases pending at other High Courts and an ongoing trial.
"Whether the (representation decision) is negative or positive, I have no liberty to answer," he said.
After hearing both parties, Muniandy told Shafee that a final chance ought to be given to the A-GC to weigh Najib's representation.
He allowed Ashrof's application for a month's extension and set June 11 for the A-GC to deliver its decision on the representation.
He ordered Ashrof to prepare his arguments for Shafee's DNAA application.
On Feb 3, 2019, Najib claimed trial to the three charges of money laundering by accepting illegal proceeds amounting to RM27 million through his three AmPrivate Banking accounts at AmIslamic Bank Berhad, AmBank Group Building, Jalan Raja Chulan on July 8, 2014.
He was charged under Section 4 (1) (a) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001, which is punishable by a maximum fine of RM5 million or imprisonment of up to five years, or both upon conviction.
The former Umno president is currently serving a jail term in Kajang Prison for the misappropriation of RM42 million in the SRC International funds case.
On Sept 2, 2022, he filed a petition for a royal pardon, following which on Jan 29 the Pardons Board halved his jail term from 12 to six years and reduced the fine from RM210 million to RM50 million.
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